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The kind of day that makes me love my CTX700

My 30-mile ride to work was a piece of easy. Nice morning, and light traffic, because the local schools are done for the year.

The trip home started off with the usual stop-and-go through the small city where I work. Then I got on the interstate, also as usual.

Holy God, heavy volume, and everyone was in a hurry. OK, I half expected that. What I didn't expect, though, was to merge on behind a Winnebago hauling a car, underneath which was stuck a large, flapping plastic bag. The 'bago was booming along, and that bag was slowly flap-flap-flapping itself to pieces. All I could picture was it finally letting go, and me riding smack into it.

Had to pass. Dropped a gear, rolled on the throttle, and merged left. In very little time, I was running 80 MPH to keep pace. The CTX handled this so well that I hardly realized how fast I was going until I glanced at the speedometer.

Kept trying to find space sufficient to let me go back into the right lane, but traffic was unrelenting.

Then I saw the brake lights starting to come on ahead. Began to haul down the CTX, and shortly I was dead stopped. Traffic crept back into motion, but doing only about 15 MPH. The dual clutch transmission and the light weight of the CTX made this so, so manageable. I well remember what this kind of thing was like on a hot, heavy bagger.

After a mile or so of creeping along, traffic began to pick up speed. Finally I found that space I'd wished for to change lanes.

It was like everyone came to their senses about the speed; 65 MPH became the average in the right-hand lane. Plenty good enough for the remaining few miles until I reached my exit; no need for me to pass anybody else.

Thought I could relax once I was off the Thruway, but the traffic was also heavy and aggressive on the next part of my commute, about 15 miles of state highway. Had to keep my eyes open, including frequent checks of my mirrors.

I took a deep breath when my 'bumper sticker' bore right at the fork in the road where I turned left. I was starting to relax a little ... until a large black SUV with out-of-state plates suddenly filled my mirrors. OK, I told myself, a few more miles, and I'll be home.

Mister Large Black Out-of-state SUV thought he'd be able to blow me off on the mountain pass I traverse every day. Ha! I threw the DCT into sport mode, rolled on the throttle, and simply boogied away from him.

When I finally pulled off the state highway onto the little village street on which I live, I actually reached down and patted Flicker's tank.

The CTX700 is such a damned good all-around ride! It just takes everything thrown at it, and finds a way to get you through.